Soldering-iron.



PATENTED JULY 23,1907.

e. 1). KING. 7 SOLDERING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1905.

GARRY D. KING, OF CUSSETA, GEORGIA.

' SOLDERING-IRON.

Specification of Letters lPatent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed August 5, 1905- Serial No. 272,863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARRY D. KING, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Cusseta, in the county of Chattahoochee and State ofGeorgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Soldering-Irons,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to soldering irons designed especially for use incapping fruit cans, and has for its object to produce a comparativelysimple, inexpensive device of this character, in which the solder willbe applied wholly around the margin of the cap at a single operation,one wherein the soldering head may be readily moved to inactive positionafter the soldering operation, and one in which the sliding rod orelement on which the head moves serves to hold the cap in position whileraising the head.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of thischaracter in which the soldering head is adapted to retain acomparatively large quantity of solder, one in which the head may bereadily reversed for purposes of heating, thus obviating injury to thetinned end of the head, one wherein the head may be securely locked inactive position, and one in which the radiation of heat from the iron ismeasurably decreased and the hand of theoperator protected from the heatradiated.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectionthrough an iron embodying the invention and showing the same in positionon a can. Fig, 2 is a similar view showing a slightly differentembodiment of the invention. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail sectionalviews showing modified forms of soldering heads. Fig. 7 is a detail viewin elevation of the latch carrying member or spring. Fig. 8 is a sideelevation of the head supporting member or frame.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l, 1 designates ahandle composed of wood or other appropriate material secured upon atubular metal core 2 through the medium of retaining nuts 3 and 4threaded onto the ends of the core, there being fixed on the normallylower end of the latter and by means of the nut 4 a substantiallyU-shaped member or frame 5 having arranged therein a tubular solderinghead 6 composed of copper or other suitable material and pivotallysecured in the frame by means of diametrically opposed pivoting membersor screws 7 loosely journaled in the arms of the frame at pointsadjacent their lower ends and in threaded engagement with the head 6,the normally lower active end of which latter is provided with avertical, downwardly opening solder receiving channel 8 extendedcontinuously and wholly around the perimeter of the active end of thehead, which is also provided with transverse openings or slots 9 formedthrough the inner wall of and arranged to communicate with the channel,the channeled end of the head being tinned as usual to hold the solderand having the lower edges of its inner and outer walls beveled as at 9toward the mouth of the channel, which is of a width to straddle theseam to be soldered.

Attached to one of the side arms of the frame is a substantiallyU-shaped retaining member or spring 10 having a depending portion or arm11 provided with a longitudinal slot 12 which receives a locking memberor pin 13 entered through an opening in the frame bar and adapted forengagement at its inner end with an opening or seat 14 formed in theadjacent wall of the head 6 for fixing the latter against movement, saidpin being provided at its outer end with a head 15 to be acted upon bythe spring member 10 in the operation of retracting the pin to releasethe head, as more fully hereinafter explained.

Arranged for longitudinal sliding movement within the core 2, whichconstitutes a guide, is a tubular cap holding plunger 16 equipped at itsouter end with a head 17 between which and the nut 3 there is arranged anormally expanded spring 18, the lower end of the plunger, which inpractice seats over the vent opening in the can cap, being provided witha plurality'of lon gitudinal openings or slots 19 through which the airescaping from the can through the vent opening may pass.

Provided to fit upon either end of the head 6 is a protecting member orcap 20 composed of asbestos or other appropriate material and servingwhen applied to the normally upper end of the head to minimize radiationof the heat therefrom and to protect the hand of the operator from theaction of such heat as may be radiated, said cap further serving toobviate rapid cooling of the head and when fitted on the open active endof the latter to prevent burning of the tin therefrom during theoperation of heating the iron, as will be more fully hereinafterdescribed in order to adapt the cap 20 for application to the open endof the head 6, it is provided with longitudinal slots 20 to receive thepivoting screws 7 In practice, supposing the parts to be in normalposition, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the head 6 will be locked by the pin13 against rotation in the frame 5, thus adapting it to be seated uponand for applying the solder to the cap of a can 21, it being understoodof course that the head 6 corresponds in diameter with that of the capwhereby the beveled edge 9 will seat in the cap-receiving groove andapply the solder wholly around the marginal edge of the cap at a singleoperation. After the solder has been applied for securing the cap inplace, the plunger 16 is depressed against the action of spring 18,thereby bringing its lower slotted end into contact with the cap and inposition over the vent opening in the latter whereby the air escapingfrom the can may pass freely outward through the slots 19 and the cap bemaintained firmly in seated position during the action of moving thehead out of contact therewith.

It is to be noted in this connection that owing to the head beingrecessed at 8 and provided with the slots 9 it is adapted for retainingan increased supply of solder, thus to insure perfect operation, andfurther that the solder will, owing to the head being beveled at 9, beproperly deposited in the bottom of the capreceiving groove, whereby thequantity of solder used is reduced to a minimum.

When it is desired to heat the head 6 the plunger 16 is withdrawn fromengagement with the latter and the spring member 10 manipulated forwithdrawing the locking pin 13 and releasing the head 6, whereupon thehead will turn automatically by gravity upon the pivots 7 to permitintroduction of the normally inner closed end of the head into the fire,thus obviating contact of the tinned end of: the head with the fire andburning of the tin. In instances Where it may be desired to introducethe entire head into the fire the cap 26 is seated over the active ortinned end to protect the same from the action of the [ire and at thesame time obviate fouling of said end by soot and the like.

In Fig. 2 the construction and operation of the parts is identical withthat above described, except that the head 6 is solid and provided witha sharpened or conical active end 22, the head being provided with acentral longitudinal channel 8 for holding the supply of solder.Furthermore, in this form of the device the handle 1 is fixed to theU-shaped frame 5 by means of a central rod 23 and the plunger 16heretofore described is dispensed with.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the soldering head comprises a solid bodyportion 24 and an active portion or section 25 seated and irictionallyretained in a socket or recess 26 provided in the body, the section 25inFig. 4 being formed with external threads engaging similar threads inthe socket 26, while in Fig. 5 the body 24 has a reduced externallythreaded portion or neck 27 onto which is screwed the tubular portion orsection 25.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of the head disclosed in Fig. 2 andin this modification the body portion 28 of the head is socketed at 29to receive and irictionally hold one end of the active portion orsection 30.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a comparatively simple,inexpensive device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends inview, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein setiorth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a soldering head having avertical, downwardly opening solder receiving channel extendingcontinuously and wholly around the perimeter of the active end of thehead, said channel being of a width to straddle the seam to be solderedand having one of its walls provided with transverse openingscommunicating with the interior of the channel.

2. In a device of the class described, a tubular soldering head having avertical, downwardly opening solder receiving channel extendingcontinuously and wholly around the perimeter of the active end of thehead and having one of its walls provided with transverse openingscommunieating with the channel, the latter being of a width to straddlethe seam to be soldered and having the lower edges of its inner andouter walls beveled downwardly .at opposite sides of and toward themouth of the channel.

In a device of the class described, a reversible, tubular soldering headhaving a vertical, downwardly opening channel extending continuously andwholly around the perimeter of its active end and provided withtransverse openings communicating with said channel, the latter being ofa width to straddle the seam to be soldered and having the inner andouter faces of its Walls beveled at their lower edges downward andinward toward the mouth of the channel.

4. In a device of the class described, a tubular handle provided with aframe, a soldering head reversibly mounted in said frame and having avertical, downwardly opening solder receiving channel extended whollyand continuously around the perimeter of its active end, said channelbeing designed to apply solder in one operation wholly around the seamof a can cap, a plunger slidably extended through the handle and havinga tubular end to bear on the cap around the vent opening therein, theactive end of the plunger being provided with a transverse vent opening,and means for maintaining the plunger normally in retracted position. i

5. In a device of the class described, a tubular handle, a reversible,tubular soldering head carried thereby, said head having its active endprovided with a vertical, downwardly opening solder receiving channeldesigned to apply solder in one operation wholly around the seam of acan cap, a plunger slidably mounted in the handle to project through thehead and having a tubular, active end to bear on the cap around the ventopening in the latter, the tubu lar, active end of the plunger beingprovided with a trans verse vent opening, and a spring for maintainingthe plunger in retracted position.

6. In a device of the class described, a tubular handle, a substantiallyU-shaped frame carried thereby, a tubular soldering head pivoted in theframe for endwise reversal, said head being provided with a vertical,downwardly opening solder receiving channel extended continuously andwholly around its active end, a spring actuated locking member forfixing the head against movement in the frame, a cap holding plungerslidably mounted in the bandle to project through the head and having atubular, active end to bear on the cap over the vent opening therein,the active end of the plunger being provided with a transverse ventopening and a spring acting on the plunger for holding the same normallyin retracted position.

In testimony whereof, I alhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GARRY D. KING.

Witnesses G. D. ALLEN, F. M. GONLY.

